Tomme de Savoie (IGP 1996) and Abondance (AOC 1990) represent two essential tiers of the Savoyard cheese hierarchy — the everyday mountain cheese and the refined semi-hard that together, with Reblochon and Beaufort, form the four pillars of Savoie's cheese identity. Tomme de Savoie is the people's cheese: a medium wheel (1.5-3kg, 18-21cm diameter) made from partly skimmed raw or thermized cow's milk (the cream is removed for butter-making, and the remaining milk is used for Tomme — hence its relatively low fat content of 20-40%). The rind is grey-brown, often covered with yellow and red moulds that develop naturally during the 2-4 month affinage in humid cellars. The paste is semi-firm, slightly elastic, with a mild, nutty, earthy flavor — less complex than Beaufort or Reblochon but deeply satisfying as a daily cheese. Tomme is the cheese of the alpine farmer's breakfast, sliced thick and eaten with bread, butter, and jam. Abondance is more refined: an AOC cheese (medium wheel, 7-12kg) made from raw milk of the Abondance breed (a specific Savoyard cattle breed developed by Augustinian monks at the Abbaye d'Abondance since the 12th century). The cheese is semi-cooked (heated to 45-50°C, between the uncooked Reblochon and the fully cooked Beaufort), pressed, and aged 3-6 months. The rind is amber, smooth, and rubbed; the paste is ivory with a supple texture and small, scattered eyes. The flavor: pronounced nuttiness, butter, a hint of mountain herbs, and a slightly fruity tang. Abondance was the cheese served at the papal table during the Avignon papacy (14th century). In the kitchen: Tomme de Savoie melts well in gratins and is used in the péla (see separate entry). Abondance is a fondue cheese (sometimes replacing one-third of the Beaufort) and a superb eating cheese.
Tomme de Savoie: IGP, 1.5-3kg, partly skimmed milk (20-40% fat), 2-4 month aging, grey-brown mouldy rind, mild/nutty. Abondance: AOC, 7-12kg, raw milk of Abondance breed, semi-cooked (45-50°C), 3-6 months, amber rind, nuttier/more complex. Tomme = everyday cheese. Abondance = papal cheese (Avignon). Both melt well. Four Savoie pillars: Reblochon, Beaufort, Tomme, Abondance.
For a Savoyard cheese board: present all four pillars together — Reblochon (soft, washed), Tomme de Savoie (semi-firm, mouldy), Abondance (semi-hard, smooth), Beaufort (hard, cooked) — with walnuts, dried fruits, and a Savoyard white. For cooking: Tomme's low fat content makes it ideal for gratins where you want cheese flavor without excessive greasiness. For Abondance in fondue: replace one-third of the Beaufort with Abondance for a milder, more approachable fondue. Visit the fromageries in the Vallée d'Abondance near Lac Léman — the breed, the abbey, the cheese, and the valley share the same name, and the connection between terroir and product is visible.
Removing Tomme's mould rind (it's edible and part of the character — only remove if excessively thick). Expecting Tomme to have the complexity of Beaufort (Tomme is a simpler cheese — its charm is in its honest, everyday character). Using Abondance interchangeably with Beaufort in fondue (Abondance is milder — use it as a complement, not a replacement). Buying industrial Tomme (artisanal Tomme from Savoyard farms has vastly more character — look for 'fabrication traditionnelle'). Not aging Abondance long enough (at 3 months it's pleasant but unremarkable; at 5-6 months the complexity blossoms).
Fromages de France — Pierre Androuët; Les Fromages de Savoie — Joseph Favre